1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pallets used for loading, holding, storing, and transporting commercial products, and more specifically, to a pallet for storing and transporting fragile items such as window frames.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional pallets are platforms used to hold and transport cargo loads of various types. The structure of a conventional pallet typically includes an upper portion and a lower portion separated by support blocks. The cargo loaded pallets are typically moved around by forklifts and pallet jacks.
Various pallets have been used to transport window frames. A typical pallet may include a base and two movable sides. The base is usually made of wood and the movable sides are usually made of plastic. After a window frame is placed onto a pallet, the two movable sides are brought into vertical positions and secured to the loaded window frames. Prior pallets have various disadvantages that make their use time consuming and cost-inefficient.
In the past, when window frames were loaded onto the base of the pallet, the fins extending from the frames were placed directly onto the pallet. The windows were not secured to the pallets in a stable upright position and had to be held from the sides. Since the fin is structurally weaker than the frame itself, placement of window frames with their fins directly on the wooden surface of the pallets such that the weight of the frame is supported by the fin could result in damage to the fins during storage or transportation.
During loading, the windows cannot stand upright with their fins resting on the base of the pallet without being held up by a person. A second person is needed to bring each of the movable sides into an upright position and affix the movable sides to the loaded window frames. The use of two people to load and unload pallets significantly increases the labor costs to load and unload the pallets of the past.
Another disadvantage of the prior pallets is that the plastic sides of the pallets cannot be affixed to the window frames without a fastener, such as a screw or a staple, that is driven through the frame itself. Intermediate blocks were typically attached by screws to the movable sides and the fins of the window frames were attached to the intermediate blocks by additional screws.
It is typical in the industry to use pallets that can be loaded with more than one window frame at one time. Typically, 7-13 window frames are loaded onto a pallet, with nine window frames being preferred. In pallets with nine frames, nine intermediate blocks would be attached to each one of the movable sides by one screw. A fin of each window frame would be attached by two screws to one block on one movable side and by two more screws to a second block on the second movable side. Thus, to load nine window frames onto a pallet, 54 screws and 18 wooden blocks were used to affix nine frames to the movable sides of a pallet. The use of a large number of intermediate blocks and screws to attach window frames to the movable sides of the pallets significantly increases the amount of time and labor required to load the window frames onto the pallet and the amount of time and labor required to unload the window frames from the pallet. As a result, the use of such pallets incurred significant costs.
There exists a need for a pallet for holding window frames for storage and transportation that can be easily loaded or unloaded by one person and that securely holds the window frames without attaching each frame individually to the pallet by one more fasteners.